Category Sports News

The camogie controversy that has made headlines over the past week continued on Sunday as Derry players were told to change from shorts into skorts before their Ulster Senior Final defeat by Antrim.

Last weekend, the Dublin and Kilkenny teams in the Leinster senior semi-final were forced to change into the skorts required under camogie rules after taking to the field in shorts.

The ongoing row led to Munster Camogie postponing Saturday’s scheduled provincial final after the Cork and Waterford players confirmed their intention to wear shorts in the game in protest at the sport’s rule.

Cork and Waterford’s players responded by saying that they felt “completely let down” by the decision.

The sport’s governing body, the Camogie Association, has called a Special Congress for 22 May to vote on the issue, which if passed would give players the option to wear shorts from 24 May.

Derry initially took to the field in Dunloy on Sunday with half their team wearing shorts and half playing in the regulation skorts.

However at the coin-toss, match referee Philip McDonald reminded joint-captain Rachel McAllister of the current dress-code rule and the Derry players returned to the dressing-rooms before coming back onto the field with all of them wearing skorts.

Prior to the game, the Derry squad said they had taken the decision that half their players would wear shorts to “stand in solidarity with fellow players who wish to have the right to choose whatever uniform they wish to wear while playing our beloved sport”.

“We understand that officials must stick to the current outdated rules of the game and ask that all officials are respected regardless of the outcome of our protest,” said the Derry statement.

“We hope that our protest clearly demonstrates to the Congress the need for change.”

The Oak Leafers were defeated 2-17 to 1-11 by Antrim, who opted to wear the regulation skorts as they retained the Ulster title.

A Nicole McAtamney goal helped Antrim to an early 1-3 to 0-1 lead but Derry fought back to level at 1-6 to 0-9 by half-time with Orlaith Hull hitting six of the Oak Leafers’ first-half points, including two from play.

Roisin McCormick’s free-taking accuracy moved the Saffrons four ahead in the third quarter only for a Aimee Lennon goal to cut the margin to 1-11 to 1-10 in the 47th minute.

However, Antrim outscored Derry 1-6 to 0-1 in the closing 15 minutes of action with Orlaith McAllister hitting their second goal in added time.

United Rugby Championship

Lions (7) 19

Tries: Steyn, Kriel 2 Cons: Wolhuter, Dobela

Scarlets (17) 32

Scarlets boosted their United Rugby Championship play-off hopes with a bonus-point win over Lions.

A first victory on South African soil since the four South African franchises were introduced in 2021 came at the perfect time for Dwayne Peel’s side, who are now up to sixth in the table with just one round to play.

Two tries from Blair Murray got them off to a perfect start in Johannesburg before Nico Steyn pulled one back.

Taine Plumtree restored Scarlets’ lead after the break before two scores from Richard Kriel brought Lions right back into the contest.

Scarlets then squandered several opportunities in a nail-biting finish before Johnny Williams and Sam Costelow’s boot got them over the line.

Lions: Quan Horn; Richard Kriel, Henco van Wyk, Bronson Mills, Edwill van der Merwe, Kade Wolhuter; Nico Steyn, Morgan Naude; Jaco Visagie (capt), Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruan Venter, Ruan Delport, JC Pretorius, Renzo du Plessis, Jarod Cairns.

Replacements: PJ Botha, SJ Kotze, RF Schoeman, Darrien Landsberg, Sibabalo Qoma, Layton Horn, Lubabalo Dobela, Rynhardt Jonker.

Scarlets: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ellis Mee; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Alec Hepburn, Marnus van der Merwe, Henry Thomas, Alex Craig, Sam Lousi, Vaea Fifita, Josh Macleod (capt), Taine Plumtree.

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Kemsley Mathias, Sam Wainwright, Dan Davis, Jarrod Taylor, Archie Hughes, Ioan Lloyd, Macs Page.

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)

Assistant referees: Griffin Colby (SARU), Stephan Geldenhuys (SARU)

TMO: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)

Paul Hughes has called on the Professional Fighters League (PFL) to stage his rematch with Usman Nurmagomedov “as soon as possible”.

The Derry fighter secured an emphatic 42-second knockout victory over Bruno Miranda at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Saturday night and immediately targeted a second bout with the Bellator lightweight champion.

When the pair met in January, Nurmagomedov extended his unbeaten streak to 19 fights after the judges scored the fight 47-47, 48-46, 48-46 in his favour.

“[A rematch] has to be next,” said Hughes.

“Make the fight as soon as possible. The PFL would be absolutely crazy not to make that fight next. Let’s make it happen.

“I believe I’m one of the best, pound-for-pound, on the planet. I think that when I get the fight and beat Usman, that will be the proof.”

Hughes had previously called for a rematch to be staged in Belfast but said it would now “probably be in Dubai”.

Likely headed on the road for his next fight, the 28-year-old savoured his homecoming victory over Miranda as he returned as headliner to the same venue where he had made his debut in 2017.

“I will never, ever forget the entire experience,” he added.

“That’s something I’ll go to the grave with.

Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup semi-final

St Helens (2) 10

Try: Hoyle Goals: Gaskin 2, Harris

York Valkyrie (0) 6

St Helens reached their fifth consecutive Women’s Challenge Cup final with victory in a tight, error-strewn semi-final win over York Valkyrie.

Saints will face Wigan Warriors at Wembley on 7 June after a try from Shona Hoyle and the trusty kicking of Faye Gaskin saw them home at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

Reigning Women’s Super League champions Valkyrie, who have now lost to Saints in the last four for the past three years, hit back through Rhiannon Marshall but Saints kept them at arm’s length.

That means Saints, who lost to Valkyrie in the Grand Final last year, stay on course for a record-extending fifth consecutive triumph in the competition.

This meeting of two teams who have shared the major honours between them in recent seasons was always going to be tight, with Saints not conceding any points in their three matches leading up to the semi-final, and Valkyrie only having one try scored against them in their three.

All they had to show for their efforts at half-time was a Gaskin penalty following a high tackle by Valkyrie, and Gaskin missed a subsequent two-pointer following a similar offence to ensure it remained tight at the break.

Valkyrie, Women’s Super League champions for the past two seasons, came out of the blocks quickly in the second half but a Marshall penalty hit the posts, and Saints gave themselves breathing space after weathering the storm.

Hoyle burst through two tacklers to touch down, and with Gaskin making no mistake with a difficult conversion, Saints opened an eight-point gap.

Saints did their best to allow their opponents back into the game with three knock-ons deep in their own territory as they played into the sun, but Valkyrie failed to capitalise until the last one.

Piling pressure on the home team’s line, Marshall threw a dummy and burst over the line from close range to set up a tense finale.

St Helens: Salihi; Hook, E Stott, Hardcastle, McGifford; Harris, Gaskin; Crowl, Casey, D. Stott, Hoyle, Rudge, Cunningham.

Interchanges: Whitfield, Mottershead, Sutherland, McColm.

York Valkyrie: Dagger; Partington, Renouf, Rampton, Kershaw; Rihari, Williamson; Brennan, Peach, Parker, Andrade, Wood, Bell.

Johann Zarco claimed an emotional victory on Sunday as he became the first French winner of the French Grand Prix since 1954.

Rain played havoc with the start of the race in Le Mans and the LCR Honda rider took advantage as his decision to start with wet tyres paid off.

He was 11th on the starting grid and soon slipped to 17th, but he gained the lead on lap eight and held his nerve to win by nearly 20 seconds from championship leader Marc Marquez.

At 34, Zarco is the oldest rider on the grid and he and his father were in tears after just the second MotoGP win of his career.

Zarco celebrated by performing a backflip off the barrier in front of the grandstand,  as a sell-out crowd of more than 120,000 chanted his name.

The last French winner of their home GP was Pierre Monneret at Reims 71 years ago.

“It’s hard to believe,” said Zarco. “I still don’t understand what is happening.

“The last laps were quite long. I need a bit of time [for it to sink in] but it’s just magic.

Ducati’s Marquez claimed Saturday’s sprint win to regain the championship lead from his younger brother Alex.

The six-time world champion stretched his advantage to 22 points with second place on Sunday while Gresini Racing rookie Fermin Aldeguer came third for his first MotoGP podium.

Zarco’s victory ended a run of 22 straight wins for Ducati and lifted him to sixth in the overall standings, above compatriot Fabio Quartararo.

The 2021 world champion had hoped to be the home hero on Sunday after claiming pole but crashed out at the final corner on lap four.

Riders swapped bikes multiple times, with some choosing to start on slicks, and Zarco slipped back to 17th on lap one when he narrowly avoided a collision.

But he slowly made his way back through and when both Marc and Alex Marquez pitted again, Zarco took his chance.

Alex Marquez crashed out of third place late on as the celebrations began for the huge home support, which took the weekend crowd to 300,000 – the biggest in France in the MotoGP era.

Whitstable Town came from behind to beat AFC Whyteleafe 2-1 to win the FA Vase at Wembley Stadium.

Daniel Bennett put Whyteleafe in front inside 20 minutes, calmly dinking the ball over Whitstable keeper Daniel Colmer after taking a pass from Craig Braham-Barrett.

Harvey Smith levelled for Whitstable early in the second half with a long-range shot which went right through Whyteleafe keeper George Hill.

The Oystermen completed their comeback when Ronald Sithole was able to find a moment of quality in the first half of extra time, firing into the roof of the net for the winning goal.

Both teams were welcomed out in glorious sunshine, with forecasts predicting temperatures as high as 25C on Sunday at the national stadium.

The FA Vase features teams playing in steps 5 and 6 of the English National League system – Whitstable play in the Southern Counties East Football League and Whyteleafe in the Combined Counties Premier Division South.

It was Whyteleafe who opened the scoring 18 minutes into the game when Braham-Barrett picked up the ball on the left wing and drove forward before passing infield to Bennett, who chipped it over Colmer before wheeling off in celebration.

Whitstable came close to equalising just after the half-hour mark, Finn O’Mara heading narrowly over the bar from a corner kick.

Moments later Bennett had a penalty appeal waved away after the forward showed smart footwork in the box and looked to break through for a shot but appeared to be bundled to the ground.

Despite going into the interval a goal down, Whitstable took only seven minutes to find a second-half equaliser.

Smith picked up the ball just outside the area in a central position and hit a shot which Hill failed to deal with.

Aaron Watson had a great chance to retake the lead for Whyteleafe moments later, running through on goal but his effort was well saved by Colmer.

Hill then managed to partly redeem his earlier mistake with 15 minutes remaining as he produced a fine save from close range to deny Whitstable substitute Robbie Rees.

Whyteleafe almost found a winner six minutes into added time, but Rodney Eruotor’s stunning effort with his left foot thundered off the crossbar.

Whitstable were denied by the woodwork in the first half of extra time when Sithole connected with a cross at the back post only for his effort to bounce off the inside of the post and away.

But minutes later Sithole made the breakthrough, as he picked the ball up in the box, cut inside a defender, and fired his shot into the roof of the net with his right-foot.